Premium
Gamma irradiation as a disinfestation and quarantine treatment for faba bean seeds infested with Bruchus dentipes Baudi (Col., Bruchidae)
Author(s) -
Mansour M. Y.,
AlBacheer M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of applied entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.795
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0418
pISSN - 0931-2048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1995.tb01349.x
Subject(s) - biology , quarantine , larva , pest analysis , phytosanitary certification , pupa , toxicology , horticulture , instar , population , botany , ecology , demography , sociology
A study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of gamma irradiation as a disinfestation and quarantine treatment for faba bean seeds which contain larvae and pupae of the faba bean seed beetle, Bruchus dentipes Baudi. The results showed that a dose of 90 Gy applied to the larval stage caused 100% mortality of the treated larvae regardless of their age or instar. A dose of 300 Gy applied to the late pupal stage caused 93.8% mortality and rendered the emerged adults unable to fly. In subsequent confirmatory trials in which 100 000 infested seeds were treated, no adults emerged, which assures quarantine security to probit 9 at the 95% confidence level. Our studies indicate that ionising radiation could be an alternative to chemical fumigants for disinfestation and/or quarantine treatment of faba bean seeds infested with B. dentipes. A dose of 90 Gy applied to faba bean seeds when the pest population is still in the larval stage, during the first 3 months after harvest, is suggested. To minimise losses in seed quality, however, irradiation treatment should be done as early as possible after harvest.